Live, Don't Own

There's a new saying that goes, "He who dies with the most toys still dies."

In tune with a new lifestyle trend, today's elite forego
million-dollar entertainment systems or down payments on the Rolls
Royce because they know that today, all that matters is that you're
living the life, not necessarily owning it.

Piers Brown, founder of the asset-sharing Web portal FractionalLife.com, helps people sort through what he calls an expanding fractional-ownership marketplace by listing companies by category.

How society defines luxury is changing, particularly in the middle
market, toward a focus on experiences, not possessions. "It's not
necessarily all about what you own, but perhaps more about the luxury
experiences you're having," Brown says.

On the site, which serves as a club for fractional lifers, you
can browse by categories like Arts and Property and subscribe for free
to receive email updates and online brochures for various participating
companies.

"There are some notable early adopters and established
standard business models in each category. However, these are
constantly evolving based on the changing consumer needs and market
dynamics," says Brown, who helps consumers to fit fractional ownership
to their lifestyles.

Smart Sharing

But why are so many people sharing to get their kicks?

In the U.K. and U.S., the super-rich don't know fractional
ownership exists, explains Brown. It's the "symbols of success"
demographic group, which includes moderately wealthy individuals "who
have rewarding careers rather than jobs ... and indulge in the most
exotic pursuits," that is driving this lifestyle.

Brown credits increases in disposable income, credit
availability and low interest rates to a demographic that is trading
up. "As a result, the boom in consumer self-actualization,
self-improvement and self-gratification has made people reappraise how
they spend their money," he says.